UPDATE: 2.45pm:
SIX patients from the Intensive Care Unit at Port Shepstone Provincial Hospital have been moved to various hospitals after the hospital’s server room caught fire earlier today, affecting several floors.
When the Herald arrived, one of the patients who was on life support was being airlifted to a Durban hospital.
KZN EMS spokesman, Rob Mckenzie confirmed that in addition to those from the ICU, various other patients were being transported to nearby hospitals until mopping up is complete and the building is declared safe.
Although one patient is believed to have died, insiders claim this was as a result of their illness and was not related to this morning’s blaze.
Mr Mckenzie confirmed that he was not aware of any casualties as a result of the fire.
The staff also managed to evacuate all the patients in a timely fashion,” he said.
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Spokesman for the provincial health department, Agiza Hlongwane said casualty, maternity and the laboratory and were operating as usual and services were not affected.
“It’s only the eye clinic and the ICU which were badly affected,” added one staff member.
The Inkatha Freedom Party has called for a thorough investigation into the fire, which broke out in the new block and resulted in the evacuation of about 200 patients from the buildings.
“This situation deserves urgent investigation because the fire threatened the lives of many people. It must be determined whether this was due to human error or an electric fault. If anyone is found to have been negligent, severe action must be taken without any delay,” said IFP KZN Provincial Health spokesman, Ncamisile Nkwanyana MPL.
“We applaud the fire rescue teams for ensuring that they prevented what could have been a disaster. Therefore, the Department of Health must ensure that medical treatment of those affected by this fire is not compromised in any way and that they also receive the necessary counselling and best medical treatment,” she concluded.
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UPDATE: 10.30am
CHAOS erupted at the Port Shepstone Regional Hospital when a fire broke out this morning.
About 200 patients had to be evacuated from the hospital buildings as services came to a standstill.
Three people are reported to have been badly burnt, while some patients, including doctors are reportedly still trapped in the hospital buildings as Fire and Rescue services work to extinguish the fire.
When the Herald arrived, doctors and nurses were trying to move non-mobile patients from the building to safe areas, including patients from the Intensive Care Unit.
TAKE A LOOK AT OUR PHOTOS TAKEN AT THE SCENE
“As you can see, I’m heavily pregnant, I have a drip and I have no idea what’s going to happen to me,” said one patient as she tried to find a place to sit and rest amidst the chaos before being offered a wheelchair by a nurse.
A mother who was crying hysterically said she was worried about her child who was still trapped inside.
Although it is not clear what started the fire, according to some doctors on scene, the blaze began in the IT section.
Ray Nkonyeni municipality law enforcement services as well as SAPS members are still monitoring the situation.
Comment is still awaited from the SAPS and the hospital management.
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ORIGINAL STORY: 9.30am
ALTHOUGH we can confirm that there is a fire at Port Shepstone Regional Hospital, not many details are available at this stage.
Reports from the scene indicate that the area has been cordoned off and it appears as if evacuation procedures may have begun as a safety precaution.
Emergency services are there, as is the Herald’s reporter, Zimasa Mgwili, who will keep us updated as information becomes available.
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